A no mow lawn?

elle sagenev

Posts: 1282

Location: Zone 5 Wyoming

16

posted 2 years ago

1

That's the goal for us. The playground I've built for our children has made it almost impossible to mow with the tractor (our only mower). The weeds and volunteer grasses were overwhelming the toys in a big way. So we rented a tiller and tilled our entire front and back yard. I then planted subterranean clover and various other clovers. The subterranean clover is around the main walking areas and the toys, the other clovers are in less traveled areas. We shall see how that goes.

Come join me at www.peacockorchard.com

elle sagenev

Posts: 1282

Location: Zone 5 Wyoming

16

posted 2 years ago

This is a before and after shot of our back yard

yard-before.jpg

before

yard-after.jpg

after

Come join me at www.peacockorchard.com

elle sagenev

Posts: 1282

Location: Zone 5 Wyoming

16

posted 2 years ago

I did have to pick axe all the weeds and grass close to the toys. Boy am I sore from that today!

Come join me at www.peacockorchard.com

R Scott

Posts: 3351

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

32

posted 2 years ago

I can't wait to see the results.

I have thought about the same thing, but most ground cover seeds are ridiculous $$$$. I am plucking away at it with Dutch clover and other low growers, but not that low. I snagged a couple good used commercial mowers for next to nothing, but still it is a pain to mow around the orchard. I would like to get to the point I could mow once or twice a year just to clean things up so they aren't a fire hazard.

Where did you get the clover?

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." --Mahatma Gandhi
"Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words." --Francis of Assisi.
"Family farms work when the whole family works the farm." -- Adam Klaus

elle sagenev

Posts: 1282

Location: Zone 5 Wyoming

16

posted 2 years ago

R Scott wrote:I can't wait to see the results.

I have thought about the same thing, but most ground cover seeds are ridiculous $$$$. I am plucking away at it with Dutch clover and other low growers, but not that low. I snagged a couple good used commercial mowers for next to nothing, but still it is a pain to mow around the orchard. I would like to get to the point I could mow once or twice a year just to clean things up so they aren't a fire hazard.

Where did you get the clover?

greencoverseeds.com is where I've been buying all of my cover crop seeds. I spent $144 on the seeds for this project but half of that cost is the wildflower seed mix I purchased. Plus shipping. Shipping is what kills. Anyway, I planted an acres worth of seeds and if it all works out it will be AMAZING!

Come join me at www.peacockorchard.com

elle sagenev

Posts: 1282

Location: Zone 5 Wyoming

16

posted 2 years ago

The clover is coming up really well in some places but I have to find an alternative for the main lawn area. It gets a fair amount of shade and a LOT of foot traffic. I think the foot traffic is what has been the death of the clover. It's coming up but it looks weak and anemic compared to the rest of the yard. So I may start some creeping thyme indoors and plant it out.

Come join me at www.peacockorchard.com

Jim Gagnepain

Posts: 71

2

posted 2 years ago

Wyoming is similar to Colorado. Hope the clover works out for you. Any concern about all the bees, with the children? It seems like any time I dig, disturbing the prarie grass, that all the weed seeds start taking root. I hope the clover is dense enough to prevent that from happening. In most areas, where I have dense prarie grass, the tumbleweeds don't propagate as easily.

elle sagenev

Posts: 1282

Location: Zone 5 Wyoming

16

posted 2 years ago

Jim Gagnepain wrote:Wyoming is similar to Colorado. Hope the clover works out for you. Any concern about all the bees, with the children? It seems like any time I dig, disturbing the prarie grass, that all the weed seeds start taking root. I hope the clover is dense enough to prevent that from happening. In most areas, where I have dense prarie grass, the tumbleweeds don't propagate as easily.

My children are pretty bug savy. They can identify various bugs and whether they are ok to touch. They know that bees sting when they get scared and that black spiders should be avoided at all costs. So bugs don't concern me overly much with the children. It is something we've trained since they were born.

We have a lot of grass coming up so tilling didn't get rid of it. I'm hoping that constant over seeding of clover will eventually smother it out. So far the clover is coming up very thick in some areas and barely at all in others. The subterranean clover appears to be a very slow grower above ground. I haven't bothered to yank one up to see what the root system is looking like yet. The other clover varieties are all looking fantastic. So far so good!

Come join me at www.peacockorchard.com

Jim Gagnepain

Posts: 71

2

posted 2 years ago

We had a few bare and weed-infested areas. My wife tilled them and planted millet and buckwheat. She plans on letting the chickensfeed in those areas. With this recent heat, I told her to start the water running.

elle sagenev

Posts: 1282

Location: Zone 5 Wyoming

16

posted 2 years ago

Jim Gagnepain wrote:We had a few bare and weed-infested areas. My wife tilled them and planted millet and buckwheat. She plans on letting the chickens feed in those areas. With this recent heat, I told her to start the water running.

It's funny how close we are but how different the weather is. It's rained nearly every single day this spring/summer here. I'm starting to notice over watering problems and rot. Totally out of this world for me.